[Rockingham]

Basel III refers to international capital adequacy standards for banks, with the now phased in revisions in the third round elevating gold by treating it as a Tier 1 asset without any risk reduction in booked value. Physical gold holdings by banks get this treatment because recent experience showed that unlike most capital assets, gold has no counterparty risk and maintains or rises in value in a systemic financial crisis.

Yet gold bugs out not to feel too smug. The day will come within a few decades when gold prices falter and its future as an asset comes into question because asteroid and undersea mining make for a relative abundance of the gold stuff and other now rare metals. Will the hard money crowd then insist that such new sources of gold be regulated and controlled so as to protect gold as a Tier 1 capital asset?

[SaxxonWoods]

. “Will the hard money crowd then insist that such new sources of gold be regulated and controlled so as to protect gold as a Tier 1 capital asset?”

Gold and silver are already controlled. Big banks and hedge funds own enough to move the price up and down, and they do. Mining can expanded if a lower price is desired, as is done with diamonds.

The money is made off the little guys paying the spread to buy and sell. When you start seeing a rush of fear-porn stories you know the big boys have a shortage of buyers.